Centrifugal pump



MalCh 5, 1968 A. J. CRISAFULLI 3,371,614

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Filed Apri] 18, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l 3a 54: F/g.4

E: 621mm 66 Ange/0 J. Cr/safu//l' INVENTOR.

A. .-1. CRISAFULLI 3,371,614

CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Ma rch 5, 1968 Filed April 18, 196e 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M. .Sl

Ange/o J. Cr/'safa// INVENTOR.

BY Anamgs United States Patent O 3,371,614 'CENTRIFUGAL PUMP Angelo J. Crisafulli, P.0. Box 1051, Glendive, Mont. 59330 Filed Apr. 18, 1966, Ser. No. 543,146 12 Claims. (Cl. 103-104) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE .peller support shaft, which is adapted to be power driven from the power take-off of an operatively associated device such as a tractor, for example. The impeller shaft bearing support means also provide a vortex reducing or eliminating means should the intake ports of the pump not be completely submerged. The pump impeller preferably includes dual suction impeller means carried on opposed sides of a generally imperforate central disk.

The present invention relates to portable pumps and more specifically to portable pumps of the type conventionally utilized for irrigation purposes.

Numerous designs have been proposed heretofore for portable pumps of the general nature described. However, such pumps -generally required the utilization of suction piping, suction foot valves or the like in order to convey the water to be pumped to the pump suction inlet. Furthermore, it will -be appreciated that when utilizing pumps of this nature the expenditure of a considerable amount of time is required to set up and prime the pump. Accordingly, a need exists for a portable pump which may be readily transported and adapted to immediately pump water and the like without the necessity of assembling suction piping or the like thus effecting a considerable saving of time and trouble.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel construction for a portable pump of the centrifugal type mounted on a wheeled frame and adapted rotatably mounted within the casing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved portable pump utilizing an eflicient doublesuction centrifugal impeller so designed and mounted in relation to the pump casing that neither casing wear rings or impeller wear rings are required, thus providing a portable pump which may be produced economically.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a portable centrifugal pump which utilizes an impeller drive shaft which is preferably supported by a plurality of water lubricated bearings, which bearings are rigidly secured to the exterior of the pump casing and spaced therefrom by a bearing support frame of a generally tripod configuration on both axial faces of the -pump casing. The tripod supports not only maintain the water lubricated bearing in proper position to assure free rotation of the impeller, but just as importantly, the tripod bearing support members serve as baiiles to reduce a vortex formation of the liquid being pumped at the suction ports should the pump be operated without the suction ports fully submerged.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a portable centrifugal pump of the nature described wherein the wheeled frame means supporting the pump is provided with a transverse drop, or low bed frame, which frame acts as a bulldozer blade so as to move debris aside when positioning the pumping unit in a stream, pond, etc.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a portable centrifugal pump provided with a pump casing having removable side wall members so as to permit removal of the pump impeller without necessitating the complete disassembly of the pump as well as facilitating the changing of the size of the dual suction port impeller to compensate for varying head-discharge requirements.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE l is a side elevational view of an exemplary embodiment of a portable centrifugal pump constructed in accordance with the present invention shown hitched to the drawbar of a farm tractor or the like and operatively connected to the power take-olf thereof and further showing the portable pump substantially submerged in a body of water so as to permit pumping of the Water to a point of use through a flexible discharge conduit the major portion of which is shown in phantom lines;

FIGURE 2 is a top elevational view of the embodiment of the pump of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the pump of FIGURE 2 with a portion of the frame means shown in section as viewed along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal fragmentary sectional view of the portable centrifugal pump of FIGURE 2 taken substantially along the plane of the line 4 4 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 5 is an axial vertical sectional View showing certain details of the dual suction port impeller of the embodiment of the invention shown herein and taken substantially along the plane of the line 5-5 of FIG- URE 4. l

Referring now specifically to the drawings it will be seen that the portable centrifugal pump indicated generally at 10 includes a frame means 12 provided with an elongated main chassis member 14 formed of suitable tubular or bar stock, for example. Adjacent one end, the chassis member 14 is provided with a transverse frame or axle means indicated generally at 16 adapted to support a pair of wheels, such as may be provided with pneumatic tires 18, for example, rotatably supported upon stub axles, not shown, welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the transverse means 16. As seen best in FIGURE 3 the transverse frame means 16 is preferably of a drop, or low bed, configuration for reasons which will become clear hereinafter. The transverse frame means 16 is rigidly secured to the longitudinally extending main chassis member 14 by means of welding, for example such as at point 20 as seen best in FIGURE 4. The transverse frame means 16 is braced such as by a pair of brace rods 22 formed of tubular or bar stock similar to the main chassis member 14 and secured thereto such as by means of welding for example.

Adjacent the other end of the frame means 12 the main chassis member 14 is provided with a hitch means indicated generally at 24 which facilitates connection of the portable centrifugal pump to a vehicle such as a farm tractor or the like indicated generally at 26 provided with a power take-off indicated at 28.

Mounted securely upon the frame means 12 and preferably rigidly secured in generally overlying relation to the transverse frame means 16 is a centrifugal pump means indicated generally at 30 which comprises an exemplary embodiment of a vortex-type dual suction inlet port centrifugal pump constructed in accordance with the present invention. As seen best in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4 the rotary centrifugal pump means 30 includes a generally cylindrical casing means 32 provided with front and rear axial side Walls 34 and 36 respectively, and a tangential discharge means 38, which preferably although not necessarily includes a right angle elbow portion 40, the discharge opening 42 of which is preferably directed forwardly and longitudinally of the main chassis member 14 for reasons which will become clear. The generally cylindrical casing means 32 is provided with a pair of axially disposed opposed casing suction inlet ports indicated generally at 44 and 46 disposed in the casing front and rear walls 34 and 36 respectively.

As seen best in FIGURE 4 the rear axial wall 36 is preferably provided with an enlarged aperture of substantially the same diameter as the outer diameter of the cylindrical casing means 32 and as will become clear as the description proceeds the aperture 48 is utilized to facilitate removal of the pump impeller. The cylindrical casing means 32 is further provided with an annular plate 50 preferably secured to the axial rear wall 36 by means of suitable releasable fasteners such as studs or bolts indicated at 52 so as to normally block a substantial portion of the enlarged aperture 48, in generally sealed relation thereto, with the exception of the aforementioned casing inlet suction port 46 which is provided therein.

Freely and rotatably journaled within the generally cylindrical casing means 32 of the centrifugal pump means 30 is a dual suction impeller means indicated generally at 54 which comprises a generally imperforate central disc 56 formed of suitable material such as steel plate, for example, rigidly secured as by welding at 58 to a longitudinally elongated hub 60 nonrotatably but removably secured to a drive shaft 62 by means of a keyway slot and key indicated at 64.

A plurality of radially extending impeller vanes 66, preferably of an arcuate configuration and formed of plate steel of a suitable thickness for example, are rigidly secured to the imperforate central disc 56 such as by means of welding. As seen best in FIGURES 4 and 5 the radially extending impeller vanes 66 are preferably equidistantly spaced about the disc 56 so as to insure that the impeller means 54 will be dynamically balanced. Although not fully apparent from the drawings, an equal number of the impeller vanes 66 are preferably secured on either side of the central disc 56 in a manner such as that which may be seen from the position of the two pairs of vanes 66 in FIGURE 4. With further regard to FIG- URE 4 it will be seen that the vanes 66 project axially forward and rearward from the centrally disposed imperforate disc 56. Moreover, from FIGURES 4 and 5 it will be apparent that the vanes 66 are of shorter length than the radius of the disc 56 and preferably extend from a point adjacent the hub 60, but spaced therefrom, with the inner end being in general alignment with the outer diameter of the casing inlet suction ports 44 and 46 so as to insure that the effective inlet port extends substantially unobstructed to the centrally disposed imperforate disc 56. The outer edges of the vanes 66 extend substantially to the periphery of the centrally disposed imperforate disc 56.

The impeller means 54 further includes a pair of annular side discs 68 and 70 formed of plate steel, or the like and rigidly secured to the outwardly projecting edges of the vanes 66 such as by welding for example. As seen best in FIGURE 4 the annular disks 68 and 70 are provided with centrally disposed apertures 72 and 74 respectively of substantially identical diameter as the casing inlet suction ports 44 and 46.

The main drive shaft 62 which carries the impeller means 54 preferably extends outwardly both forwardly and rearwardly of the cylindrical casing means 32 through the apertures 44-72 and 46-74 as seen best in FIGURE 4. The shaft 62 is rotatably journaled by bearing support means indicated generally at 76. The shaft bearing support means 76 includes a plurality of outwardly extending and converging bearing support legs 78 secured to the axial walls 34 and 36 such as by bolting for example. The outwardly disposed ends of the support legs 78 carry 'bearing support sleeves 80 and are secured thereto such as by means of bolts indicated at 82. The bearing sleeves 80 are further provided with bearing inserts 84 of a type which are preferably water lubricated such as rubber bearing inserts manufactured by B. F. Goodrich Rubber Co. and marketed under the trademark of Cutless bearings for example.

As seen best in FIGURE 3 the support legs 78 are preferably disposed in a generally tripod configuration so as to rigidly secure the bearing sleeves 80. Furthermore, as will become clear during discussion of the operation 4of the portable centrifugal pump 10 the support legs 78 assist in substantially eliminating vortexing of the liquid being pumped should the inlet ports 44 and 46 not be completely submerged. As seen in FIGURE 4 the forwardly disposed support means 76 is further provided with a stabilizing bracket 86 secured to both the forward bearing sleeve 80 and the main chassis member 14. The main shaft 62 is preferably provided with a stop collar 88 secured to the shaft 62 by means of a releasable fastener such as a setscrew for example, not shown, so as to limit forward longitudinal travel of the shaft 62 in order to assist in maintaining alignment of the impeller means 54 within the casing means 32.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 it will be seen that the drive shaft 62 extends substantially the entire length of the frame means 12 and is articulated by universal joints 90 and 92 so as to compensate for any misalignment of the drive shaft 62 with the power take-off 28 of the tractor 26. In order to prevent lashing of the relatively long drive shaft 62 a bearing support means is provided as indicated at 94 and is supported from and secured to the main chassis member 14 by means of an upstanding bracket 96 rigidly secured to both the bearing means 94 and the chassis member 14. Although not shown it will be understood that a bearing within the means 94 need not necessarily be of the water lubricated type inasmuch as this bearing is not normally fully submerged. Accordingly, this bearing is normally lubricated with a water immiscible lubricant. It will also be noted that a stop collar 98 is provided forwardly of the bearing 94 and removably secured to the shaft 62 by means of a setscrew or the like, not shown, so as to preclude rearward longitudinal travel of the drive shaft 62 thus cooperating with the stop collar 88 to assure continued alignment of the impeller means 54 within the pump casing 32.

Referring to FIGURE 2 it will be seen that the tangential discharge conduit 38 is preferably provided with a flexible conduit or extension 100 such as formed of a butyl rubber hose secured to the discharge outlet 38 such as by a metal tension clamp not shown.

Although the operation of the portable centrifugal pump is considered to be obvious from the foregoing it will nevertheless be discussed in further detail. As seen in FIGURE 1 the portable centrifugal pump 10 is shown hitched at 24 to the power take-off 28 of the tractor 26 with the centrifugal pump means 30 backed into a pond whereby the suction ports 44 and 46 are substantially submerged in the water 102. It will therefore be understood that the centrifugal pump means -3f) is thus self-priming and in order to effect pumping of the water 102 outwardly through the tangential discharge means 38 it is merely necessary to apply rotary motion to the shaft 62 by means of the power take-off 28. In practice a pump of the nature shown will deliver a considerable volume of water whenoperated at rotational speeds as low as 200 r.p.m. without the necessity of utilizing cumbersome suction piping, drive belts, pulleys, etc.

It will further be appreciated that the configuration of the volute casing 3-2 provides ethcient nonclog performance and permits the interchanging of impellers of various outer diameters on the drive shaft 62 so that a considerable range of different head discharge requirements for different pumping situations may be fulfilled by merely changing impellers.

As indicated heretofore the changing or inspection of impeller means 54 is achieved by removing the releasable fasteners 52 and the stop collar 88 so as to permit removal of the annular plate 50 and the bearing support means 76 secured thereto thus permitting removal of the impeller means S4 through the enlarged aperture 48 in the pump casing rear wall 36. Although not shown, it will be understood that the forward casing wall 34 may also be provided with a removable plate similar to the annular plate 50 in which case the support bracket 86 would be removable.

By referring to FIGURE l it will be seen that the drop frame 16 running between the wheels 18 acts as a bulldozer blade when positioning the pumping unit in a stream or the like whereby it is possible to back the pump into the stream so as to push the debris ahead of the pump after which the pump is moved forwardly a short distance so as to remove the inlet port 46 from the vicinity of the piled up debris.

Although not shown, alternatively the portable centrifugal pump 10 may be floated by attaching flotation devices such as sealed empty steel barrels to the unit with the power take-off of the tractor or the like backed up to the stream so as tov permit connection to the drive shaft 62 where an exceptionally steep bank or sharp drop- `off in the bottom of the stream bed or lake makes backing in of the wheeled unit highly impractical or impossible.

Accordingly it may be seen that there has been provided a portable centrifugal pump which satisfies the several objects of the present invention.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents lmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A portable pump comprising frame means, axle means supported by said frame means and extending transversely adjacent one end thereof, wheel means rotatably carried by said axle means, said frame means being adapted at the other end to be hitched to a Vehicle, a rotary centrifugal pump means mounted on said frame means, .said pump means comprising a dual suction intake port pump casing provided with axial opposed intake po-rts and a tangential discharge port, a drive shaft extending outwardly from said pump through said intake ports and rotatably supporting a dual suction intake port impeller within said casing, said drive shaft being adapted to be driven from a power take-off of a vehicle for driving said pump means whereby said portable pump may be wheeled into a body of w-ater to be pumped.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said drive shaft is rotatably supported within said pump casing by means of a plurality of bearing means secured to said pump casing and said frame means.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said drive shaft is longitudinally disposed with respect to said frame means.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said dual suction intake port impeller comprises a generally imperferate disc nonrotatably mounted on said drive shaft, a plurality of generally equidistantly spaced radially extending impeller vanes secured to said imperforate disc in axially extending relation therefrom, a pair of side discs parallel to said impefforate disc and secured to the axially projecting vanes, each of said side discs being provided with `an enlarged central suction intake port adapted to be operatively aligned with said axial opposed intake ports.

5. A portable pump comprising frame means, axle means supported by said frame means and extending transversely adjacent one end thereof, wheel means ro` tatably carried by said axle means, a hitch means on the other end of said frame means adapted to connect said frame means to a vehicle, a rotary centrifugal pump means mounted on said frame means, said pump means comprising a genera-ily cylindrical casing means having side walls with axial intake means on the opposed side walls, a tangential discharge means, an impeller means disposed within said casing, a drive shaft rotatably journaled within saidcasing and adapted to be driven from a power take-off of a vehicle for driving said pump means, said impeller comprising a generally imperforate disc nonrotatably mounted on said shaft, a plurality of generally equidistantly spaced radially extending impeller vanes of shorter length than the radius of said imperferate disc and secured to said imperforate disc in axially extending relation therefrom, a pair of side discs parallel to said imperforate disc and secured to the axially projecting vanes, each of Isaid side discs being provided with an enlarged central suction intake port operatively aligned with said casing intake means whereby said portable pump may be Wheeled into a body of water to be pumped. I

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said drive shaft is rotatably supported within said pump casing by means of a plurality of bearing means secured to said pump casing and said frame means and said shaft is longitudinally disposed with respect t-o said frame means.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said bearing `means are water lubricated so as to permit the pump to o-perate while immersed in the water to be pumped.

i8. The combination of claim 5 wherein said bearing means include a pair of bearing sleeve supports secured to said pump casing by a plurality of support legs which provide a vortex formation reducing means adjacent and spaced from the intake ports so as to substantially reduce the probability of the pump becoming air bound when the pump intake ports are only partially submerged in the water to be pumped.

9. The combination of claim 5 wherein said frame means includes a transverse drop frame member adapted to move debris aside when the portable pump is wheeled into a body of water to be pumped.

10. The combination of claim 5 wherein said tangential discharge means includes a flexible discharge conduit.

11. The combination of claim 1 wherein said drive shaft extending outwardly from saidpump through said intake ports is supported by intake liquid vortex eliminating drive shaft bearing support mean-s, said shaft bearing support means being secured in outwardly converging relation to said casing, said bearing support means being secured to said casing radially outward of said intake ports so as to be in generally nonoccluding relation to said intake ports.

12. The combination of claim 1 wherein said dual suction intake ported impeller comprises a generally imperforate disk, a plurality of generally equidistantly spaced generally radially extending impeller vanes of shorter radial length than the radius of said imperforate disk and secured to said imperforate disk in generally opposed relation on opposite sides of said generally irnperforate disk, said impeller vanes being partially bent back upon themselves adjacent their inwardly disposed ends, the leading edges of the inwardly disposed ends of said impeller vanes projecting toward the direction of rotation Of said irnpeller.

8 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1945 Stepanoff 103-104 5/1947 Prokef 103-103 12/1955 Rykken 103-104 7/1957 Ogles et al. 230 38 9/1957 Rhoda 230-38 12/1957 Fiaceo 230-38 2/1965 Springer 230-38 12/1966 Springer 103-103 FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1931 Italy. 3/1949 Italy.

HENRY F. RADUAZO, Primary Examiner. 

